The cafeteria was crowded, loud and smelled of sweaty soldiers. Lema wrinkled her nose and almost decided that she wasn't hungry. King Vegeta, blocking the exit, grabbed her arm and steered her through the other Saiya-jins. He couldn't believe how easily she blushed and wondered if she was extremely naive and innocent, or if it was the loss of her memories.

A few soldiers gave them curious glances, but none dared to ask questions. No one could remember ever seeing a girl in King Vegeta's presence, at least not one that he wanted to kill on the spot. Who was she and where did she come from? Lema felt uncomfortable, instinctively moving closer to Vegeta.

King Vegeta snarled a warning, satisfied to see everyone go back to their own affairs. He found an isolated table and placed a tray of meat in front of Lema, leaving her alone to eat. She wasn't that hungry and shoved the tray away. A saiya-jin that had come in after King Vegeta's warning, boldly walked up to the table and dropped a hand across her shoulder. Lema cringed, hating his stench. "You're a short one, but cute," he leered, working his tail up and down her leg. Lema's fingers dug into the wooden table, splinters digging into her flesh.

"Don't touch me..." she growled.

"Ahh... You know you like it..." His breath brushed against her neck, sending waves of disgust down her spine. "No girl with any honor would come in here." His hands moved to her front, stopping below her breast. "Soldiers need entertainment, even if you are on the small side."

Lema closed her eyes. The Saiya-jin, taking her silence as submissive defeat, moved his hand upwards. Suddenly, a sharp pain raced up his arm, his hand twisted painfully in her grasp. Her entire body trembled in rage, "I said," she spat, twisting his arm further, "don't touch me!" He screamed, but she had the advantage and every soldier knew it as they watched.

"You little bitch!" he growled, trying to grab her leg. Lema savagely kicked him in the face, turned and drove her elbow against his nose. Taking his wrist, she snapped it, hearing the sound of breaking bones. All actions had ceased, several soldiers giving the two room to fight.

Lema didn't even know she had stepped into a fighting stance, her tail swaying slowly behind her back. She waited, her eyes never leaving the enemy. He charged, swinging at her with his good arm. Lema dodged, dropping into a split as she drove an upper cut into his most sensitive spot. "Bastard!" she shouted. Lema grabbed his head and slammed it into her food, breaking the table in half. "Never," slam; "never," punch; "touch me," kick; "again!"

The Saiya-jin went crashing through the glass doors, taking several armed guards with him. Lema found herself surrounded and was prepared to fight all of them when a powerful voice cut through them like a knife. "Stand away from her!"

The guards, confused, jumped back as King Vegeta quickly grabbed Lema and glared at them. "I'll kill anyone that touches her!"

"But the law..."

"I don't give a damn about the law!" Vegeta spat dangerously. Grabbing the soldier by the collar of his uniform, "She's mine and if anyone touches her again..." King Vegeta let the threat hang, and quickly led Lema out of the cafeteria. Lema stared at his shoulders and the barely contained rage. "Vegeta?"

He whirled on her, claiming her mouth in a demanding and possessive kiss. She had no time to protest, only loose herself in the moment. Vegeta lifted her up, throwing her against the wall and burying his hands in her thick hair. "Mine!" he snarled. His eyes glowed a feral red and Lema shuddered in fear and pleasure.

"Vegeta... I..."

"You're mine!" His teeth grazed her neck and she cried out. He nipped harder, losing himself to his demonic half. It wanted the small female; who was he to deny it or himself He too, wanted Lema and Vegeta had never been denied. Taking a deep breath, he stopped, slowly lowering her feet to the ground. He still held her. "I shouldn't have left you alone."

"Nothing happened," she said, trying to reassure him. It didn't work and his grip tightened almost painfully. Was he angry at her, or himself? "Vegeta, you didn't know..." A finger silenced her.

"I did know and I shouldn't have left you alone in there."

Lema smiled and this time it reached her eyes. "I have a feeling this isn't the first time someone's tried to hurt me, nor will it be the last. I assure you, Vegeta... that no one, except for myself, can truly have that much power over me."

Vegeta bit his tongue. He could proove her wrong, to loose himself as he claimed her again and again. Vegeta needed to get away from her, but found himself stepping closer. She smelled of roses, like the ones he found her beneath a week before. "I wonder where you learned to fight like that?"

King Vegeta lowered his head and pressed his lips against her ear, feeling a shudder pass through her body. Was it disgust or attraction, he wanted to know. "Would you do it again?"

"Hai," she growled, hating the confusion he created. Strange, why did she hate one Saiya-jin touching her, but submit completely to another?

"You have the right to refuse a Saiya-jin's advances."

"Even yours?" she asked breathlessly. His hands had found their way to her waist, burning a trail of fire against her clothed flesh.

"Is that your desire?" he purred, nuzzling the softness of her neck. Lema whimpered, driving King Vegeta insane. 'No! She's too young!' He wanted to convince himself of that, but it was difficult to determine how old she really was. The girl was short, but very well developed. 'I can have tests done.'

His mouth quickly found her quivering lips, silencing any further comments she may have had. She gasped, giving entry to his demanding tongue. King Vegeta held her wrists pinned to his chest, giving her no chance to resist. He wanted this girl, more than he cared to admit. Why was she so different?

Lema nearly collapsed when he finally stopped, glad that Vegeta supported her weight until she could stand on her own. She had lost the ability to think straight and tried to shake her head clear of the fog. 'What is he doing to me?'

Vegeta was asking the same questions and wondered if he should leave her alone for a few days. 'No!' he shouted defiantly. Thankfully she couldn't read his mind. Possessively, his tail found it's way around her waist, pulling her along more hallways. They entered a small lab, the white walls making Lema cover her eyes from the glare of the lights. A Saiya-jin walked up to them and bowed, curious about the girl by Vegeta's side.

He whispered something to the doctor and he nodded, giving her a strange look before he left and returned with several needles in his hand. Growling, she started for the door, but Vegeta grabbed and pinned her down. "No!" She fought to throw him off, hating the needles being stuck in her arm. "Why?" she gasped after they had finished.

"Do you want your memories back or not?" he challenged, not wanting to tell her the real reason.

Lema opened her mouth, then closed it. She was tired, frustrated and no closer to finding out who she was. "Will it work?"

"I don't know," he admitted. Vegeta left her lying on the lab table, helping the doctors as he waited for the results of her tests.

Two hours later, he had a few answers. The girl was seventeen, barely old enough to be claimed by Saiya-jin laws. Her power level, strangely enough, was too erratic to be properly determined. The only way to truly test her, was through the trials that occurred in two days. Walking back into the room he had left her in, he was surprised that she was no where to be seen, the lab door wide open. "Damn!"

Lema didn't know where she was running to, but she had to get away. She hated not knowing where she was and not knowing how to fight against the despair. The halls looked the same and after thirty minutes, she was hopelessly lost. Lema felt closed in and a deep cold started to seep into her arms. She sank to the floor, shivering violently. 'Why do I hear water? This feels so familiar, the darkness...' Lema's head throbbed in pain, a barrier to her past. Did she have the will to fight it, or will she remain a prisoner to its power and strength?

"Lema?" came a worried voice. She didn't hear him and nearly screamed when she felt a pair of arms grab her. "Lema, stop!" He was as tall as King Vegeta, if not more so. His hair fell to the floor and muscles toned every inch of his body. Lema struggled, slapped at the Saiya-jin with her tail, and almost bit his arm.

"Lema, stop fighting me!"

She knew that voice, but from where. Did she know this Saiya-jin? The worry in his eyes deepened as he hugged her painfully tight.

"What happened?"

"I..." Lema cried out, unable to withstand the pressure of her headaches. "I can't... it hurts!"

"I'm so sorry..." he whispered, stroking her hair. "I shouldn't have left... I'll make it up to you... Please, you have to remember who I am." His voice drew further and further away as she slipped into darkness, escaping from the pain.

King Vegeta couldn't believe how far the female had gotten, twisting and turning down several halls before he came near the royal gardens. He froze, watching as a Saiya-jin male lowered the girl to the ground and dipped a cloth in the fountain. She made no movement or sound. King Vegeta seethed in rage.

"Lema, wake up..." King Vegeta hesitated, listening to the male talk to her. "You're much stronger than this..."

The boy cursed, digging his fingers into the cracked ground. "Why did I ever listen to you? I could have waited another year! Dammit, Lema! Wake up! You have to remember! I'm your cousin Raditz!" He shook her shoulders, his efforts in vain. Hearing a noise behind him, Raditz lifted his head and hissed, jumping to his feet. Terrified, he saluted, never making eye contact with King Vegeta.

King Vegeta entered the courtyard and glanced around for any prying eyes or ears. "Who are you?"

"Raditz, son of General Bardock, your majesty!"

"You said something about testing; do you speak of the trials in two days?"

"Hai."

"Is she strong enough to enter?"

"Your majesty?" Raditz tried to comprehend what Vegeta was asking.

"Can she win?" he demanded.

"She would make it to the final rounds, if that's what you're asking."

"What's her power level?"

"She's never been tested."

"You have two days to prepare her, Raditz."

"You're majesty?"

"The trials go as long as you want them to go. It depends on how far and how badly you want your position and title." Vegeta stared at the unconscious female and smirked. She was already his, it was only a matter of time and patience before he chose to claim her as Saiya-jin law demanded. First, she needed to pass the trials. "She will participate in the trials; I'll accept nothing less."

"Hai, your majesty."

"She's your cousin?"

"Hai."

"I've heard of Turles; no one's seen him for nearly twenty years."

"He's a space fighter and rarely returns to the planet."

"By birth she's the daughter of a royal body guard, stronger than even the elites'. Why was she dressed like a commoner?"

Raditz was surprised. "Turles and father never mentioned where we came from or our back grounds."

Vegeta paced. 'Turles hid her from us, but why? I know nothing of either of these children; why? Children of the most powerful fighters on the planet, and I'm only now discovering their presence!' King Vegeta roared in fury, turing to face Raditz. The boy was terrified, but a lot like his cousin, he stayed his ground and prepared himself for the coming attack. "Relax. My anger is not for you. Lema and yourslef will enter the trials; your father is not to interfere. I will give you two guards and they will have orders to stop even Turles or Bardock from pulling either of you once the trials commence."

Raditz knew his father and if Turles found out about Lema... He shuddered. He'd rather face King Vegeta's wrath should he disobey the order. "Can you protect her?" Raditz finally asked. "Her father..."

"I'll deal with Turles! Do as I say! Go, before I change my mind!"

Raditz took off, forgetting to bow in his excitement. King Vegeta knelt, lifted Lema into his arms and gazed at the setting sun. "Lema..." She stirred, curled closer to his warmth and fell back into a dreamless sleep.

Lema woke to a lot of yelling, curses and items being knocked to the floor. She was lying on a cot, surrounded by several others. Most were empty, but a few were occupied by Saiya-jins with broken arms or other body parts. One of the soldiers had fallen from his bed, creating the chaos that had awakened her. "What is this place?"

"You're awake!" She turned, seeing the boy from the castle hallways. He smiled, grabbed her hand and ran down a corridor. "No time to rest, we're due in the arena in fifteen minutes!"

Lema locked her feet, forcing the energetic boy to a halt. "What is going on? Who are you and how do you know me?"

"I'm Raditz. You're my cousin and battle partner during the next several days. Today is the start of the Trials! King Vegeta said you had an accident, that's why you can't remember anything."

"Trials?" Lema backed away. "I wanted to be a soldier?"

"Hai. You were even willing to challenge your father."

"Can I even fight? I thought only the best had a chance to compete?"

"Lema," he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the green arena, "I couldn't have trained with a better Saiya-jin. Please, you have to remember!"

Nappa had been easy to fight. Lema lifted her head high and started to prepare for the fight. Where was Vegeta, would he be angry with her? She pushed the thought from her mind and concentrated on her objective. "Tell me everything I need to know, customs, laws and how far to push the rules."

"That's easy; stay alive." Lema nodded.

"Will I finally become a soldier?" Lema asked incrediously.

Raditz broke into a large grin, "Only if you pass the final test! Come on! You're not even dressed in uniform yet! They'll kill us if we're late!"

There was something familiar about Raditz, but Lema couldn't figure out what it was. Two other Saiya-jins quickly joined them, giving Lema curious glances. "Lema, these are my closest friends Arico and Cowli. Arico, other than yourself, is the only other female to enter the trials in seventeen years. Depending on how she does, she could enter the academy."

They smiled as they joined the other particapants in the arena. Lema later learned that Arico came from a first class family, while Cowli came from a second class family. Strange, why did Lema have no knowledge of her own status. She asked Raditz, but he simple shrugged his shoulders and smiled. His eyes scanned the growing crowd, hoping his father nor Turles recognized who had joined his group. The rules had stated a fighter could have help or to participate in the trials alone. He had learned from Lema that to fight alone was a path to failure. His father disagreed.